Stocking Your Pantry the Essential Way

The key to stocking a pantry is to fill it with the necessary items you will eat. Making your pantry work for you by keeping it clean, and organized is what our Grandmothers and Mothers tried to teach us. But with food delivery and shopping daily, the pantry section in our homes has been a bit neglected.

The days of growing food in home gardens for the purpose of canning and storing has faded away, until recently. Besides this blog post filled with lists and links I want to remind you to find our Facebook page, The Campground Gourmet. I recorded a video of what my home pantry looks like, along with some fantastic tips and tricks.

Stocking Your Pantry

Having a detailed list with all the core items to stock your pantry is vital to your success. I have created a Master Pantry List to help you plan, organize, and save money. There are eight categories in my master list, everything from herbs and spices, baked goods, condiments, oils and vinegars and canned items.

In addition I created a Master Substitution Chart. This printable is filled with simple recipes for when you have run out of or completely forgotten to purchase an item. From brown sugar, lemon juice, cake flour, whole milk and sour cream this chart has it all.

Use it Well

Whether you have a bare-minimum or a packed to the gills pantry, the point is to have one that is stocked. Plan on having enough items to last at least 14 days should an emergency happen. Being prepared will help bring a comforting sense of control when things can be slightly overwhelming. Who hasn’t had a dinner go wrong only to see that bag of pasta, a can of crushed tomatoes and dried Italian herbs knowing dinner in fact is saved and not ruined?

Homemade Pantry Staples

Using what you have on hand from your pantry can be one of the hardest parts of cooking. All of those jars, cans, and bottles can lead to overwhelming thoughts or slight panic. Knowing how to create basic recipes and substitute recipes with all of those items will help. Some of my fellow food bloggers have created amazing recipes using basic pantry items that are delicious, cost pennies to make and will have you using those pantry staples.